Right now, private online community platforms are having a moment. Creators around the world are looking for new ways to connect their members and grow their brands.
One platform that has garnered some buzz is Geneva Chat, a community chat app that’s trying to help build “authentic, tight-knit communities.”
In this article, we'll walk you through the pros and cons of Geneva Chat, and suggest 11 alternatives to Geneva Chat that give you better options for growing your community.
If you want more support in building your online course and community, come join OUR Mighty Community for free and meet other new and established community owners! We’d love to meet you. Join for free!
((toc))
What is Geneva Chat?
Geneva Chat describes itself as a “cozy, private space for you & your people.” Similar to many of the alternatives to Geneva Chat, they are trying to build a different kind of online community platform.
Geneva Chat mixes together a community forum feel with content options--replacing a blog, for example. And it has messenger-type features for 1:1 and group chats, and rooms where you can host video chats and livestreaming.
Geneva Chat features
- Minimalist design that allows users to create different “Home” spaces that are basically your online community space
- Create different ways for your members to interact: text chat, audio chat, discussion boards, and even video chat, to name a few
- Available on the web as well as iOS and Android devices through their respective app stores
- Token-gated rooms
- Free to use
Why look for a Geneva Chat alternative?
- You want monetization features and to build a community business
- You want to sell subscriptions, products, events, courses, or bundles to members
- You want to handle a large community of people who don't know each other (Geneva works best for smaller communities)
- You want more or different content organization features (e.g. an activity feed)
What to look for in Geneva Chat alternatives
Creators are flocking to online community platforms because they’ve opened up new possibilities to gain creative control over your brand, as well as stronger monetization options.
Here are some of the features to watch for in Geneva Chat alternatives. Obviously the ones that matter most to you will depend on your vision for a community!
- A robust main activity feed where you and any member can share text, video, files, and more with your community
- Messaging and chat features for 1:1, group, and even automated messages.
- In-depth member profiles and membership management tools
- Native livestreaming, video hosting, and virtual events (w/ RSVP + monetization)
- Host and sell online courses (either live or pre-recorded)
- Sell in different currencies around the world
- Mobile apps for every device
- Mobile apps under YOUR brand in the App Store & Google Play Store
What are the best Geneva Chat alternatives?
1. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is a unified member platform that brings together community, content, courses, and commerce. On top of offering world-class features for building a community, you also get access to options for memberships, subscriptions, virtual events, online courses, and more. The best part is that all those features are in one place, under your brand, it’s all instantly available on web, iOS, and Android.
Mighty includes the features of Geneva Chat--livestreaming, messaging, chat, content rooms, etc.--and adds a ton more community features. Then, it adds a suite of monetization options: sell memberships, courses, events, private Spaces, or bundle any of these.
This combination of powerful features plus monetization makes Mighty Networks the best alternative to Geneva Chat.
Here are some of the other features you can build with:
- AI community engine (Mighty Co-Host™) with profile assist, icebreaker questions, auto-course outlines, and the "make it better" text editor
- Flexible & customizable Spaces
- Native mobile app support
- The ability to create and charge for online courses
- A ton of content options: livestreaming, prerecorded video, text, articles, and more
- Charge for memberships and subscriptions
- Direct & group messaging, member profiles, and subgroups
- Host virtual events
It’s a platform that will help you create a thriving community where members have the tools to sustain conversations so you can create new content and grow.
2. Discord
Discord was built for gaming, but it's got a feature set that makes it a good Geneva alternative. Discord comes with built-in forum functions, as well as messaging and chat tools, and the option to create channels.
It has features for live events (if you have Stage mod), and you can share screens and host video chats.
Discord is only a good Geneva Chat alternative for free communities. (Like Geneva, there's no cost.) But like Geneva, it's missing monetization features.
Discord does have the option to sell subscriptions 1. If you're based in the U.S. and 2. If you get approved, but that's pretty limiting. Plus, even if you do qualify, Discord takes a 10% cut of your revenues--the best monetization platforms charge a flat fee so that you keep more.
That's why Discord isn't the right choice for a community business.
3. Slack
Slack was built for the workplace, but it does have some features that make it worth considering as a Geneva Chat alternative.
It has a forum-like design that helps you organize conversations, and you can separate members into channels--making it a bit like Discord.
Slack also has some video calling features "Huddles" that can be used for voice-only or video meetings.
Although it's primarily for organizing remote work (and replacing email), some people are using Slack to organize communities.
Again, Slack is probably best if you're sticking to a small, free community. The limited features of Slack's free plan make it functional for simple communities. But, if you want the full set of features, you'll be paying $8.75/mo per user.
Like Discord, Slack doesn't work for monetization. It has no native monetization features (it was built for work, remember). If you want to build a community business, it's not the Geneva Chat alternative for you.
4. Circle
Circle is a community platform designed to bring together your discussions, members, and content.
The platform focuses on communication features much like a Slack or Discord, and gives creators a very organized minimalist community space that focuses on creating “Topics” for members to interact within. You can think of a “Topic” as a more sophisticated discussion board mixed with a chat room.
Circle can create different Spaces and has chat and messaging features like Geneva Chat. And they recently added a courses function and an Android app, making it into a full community platform. Unlike Mighty, Circle does charge you more as you grow, for extra member spaces, admins, mods, etc., so it can get expensive as your community grows.
5. Google Chat
Google's Chat app is another Geneva Chat alternative that gives you discussion spaces to host group chats and 1:1 conversations. Like most of Google's products, it has pretty simple design but has good features: things like rooms, search, and integration with other Google tools.
Google Chat is basic and free. It's good for simple conversations between people who know each other. It's not ideal for building a community around shared content, ideas, and helping people get to know each other. And there are no monetization features.
6. Signal
Signal is a chat and messaging app that could be a Geneva Chat alternative for those looking to message with friends.
Signal describes itself as a "simple, powerful, and secure messenger" and has features like video calling, disappearing messages (like Snapchat), and an encryption service that's so good that (apparently) even the company can't access your messages.
It's a good Geneva alternative for messaging with a small group of friends.
7. Telegram
Telegram is another community chat app that lets you combine the features of a messenger with some content creation and broadcasting options.
Like Geneva Chat, Telegram can be organized into channels. And Telegram has broadcasting options for building a following with a large group of people. And you can monetize that following with subscriptions.
Telegram is good for broadcasting, but it's missing the interactive content and community features for bringing together people who don't know each other. Subscribers can vote in polls, but otherwise they're just followers.
It lacks both comprehensive community features and comprehensive monetization features, and it's been accused of privacy and phishing issues.
These challenges have pushed Telegram down this list of Geneva Chat alternatives.
8. WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that could be considered a Geneva Alternative for a group of friends looking for messaging and video calls.
You can send different kinds of messages: images, videos, documents, or audio clips. And it's got reactions and emojis.
WhatsApp gets confusing when there are too many people in it; it's best for small groups of friends who want to message each other.
9. Viber
Viber is another chat and messaging app that can handle some of the same activities that Geneva Chat does.
It lets you host different conversations and chat with your friends--you can even appoint an admin over your chat.
It has user verification, end-to-end encryption, and you can even call landlines.
Viber is good for messaging. But it's missing community functions for bringing together larger groups and for monetizing a community.
10. Snapchat
Snapchat is a different type of Geneva alternative, with more of a social media feel. But it does have a messaging function--and it's famous for snaps that can be set to disappear after a set amount of time.
Snapchat can be used for stories, and it's got cool features like augmented reality lenses for sending fun pictures. It works best for chatting 1:1 with friends and sharing fun pictures.
11. Facebook Groups
Last on this list of Geneva Chat alternatives is Facebook Groups. Facebook is literally the most-used social networking site with billions of users every day.
The Facebook Groups feature lets you invite fellow Facebook members to a shared group and gives you features like a wall (for discussion posts), commenting, group messaging, and livestreaming.
Facebook Groups have some major disadvantages when it comes to hosting a community:
- You're fighting the algorithm
- The "wall" really isn't the best way to organize conversations
- Group messaging with an entire group is a nightmare
- There's no way to monetize
These are some major knocks that mean it's better to choose a Facebook Group alternative, but it is a free and widely-known alternative to Geneva.
Ready to start?
When you build a community on a Mighty you’re choosing a platform that will grow with you. Not only are you getting world-class community-building features, but you’re also getting online courses, memberships, virtual events, and an ever-evolving platform that is available across all devices.
If you’ve been looking for the best Geneva Chat alternative, there’s no need to look any further.
Let’s create something awesome together.
